LAPLACE — At least two people are seeing jail time after taking pleas last month for their connection with a Xanax drug ring.

Authorities said that Matthew Helm, 23, was funneling more then 220,000 Xanax pills through LaPlace and the greater United States.

The case began when narcotics detectives from the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office received information that led to two searches on Jan 5.

Matthew Helm, 23, and Megan De St. Germaine, 26, were the first to be arrested at their residence in the 100 block of Oak Fern Court in LaPlace where 100,000 pills of alprazolam, the trade name Xanax, and the packaging for distribution throughout the United States.

Brandon Zar, 24, was arrested next at his residents with more than 10,400 doses of alprazolam and packaging for distribution.

Authorities said that Helm was mailing Xanax packages to his conspirator’s residents.

All but three people arrested in the case took pleas May 25 with Helm and De St. Germaine seeing time behind bars.

District Attorney Bridget A. Dinvaut said Helm had two counts, possession of a controlled dangerous substance and the distribution of the controlled dangerous substance.

“On the first count he pled guilty and received a sentence of five years with the department of corrections,” Dinvaut said. “On count two he (pleaded) guilty and received eight years with the department of corrections. He has a $2,000 fine and $315 in court costs, as well as a $550 fee for the public defenders office.”

Dinvaut said Helm and De St. Germaine were the only ones to receive jail time because they were the most culpable, meaning they actually organized and created the drug conspiracy.

For her role in the drug ring De St. Germaine pleaded to principle to the distribution, meaning she aided and abetted and directly assisted Helm in the distribution of the drugs, Dinvaut said.

“She didn’t have a criminal history, she had a criminal arrest but not a criminal conviction,” Dinvaut said. “She was given five years with the department of correction with suspended three years. She was placed on three years active probation, after she serves her two years with the department of corrections. She has a fine of $2,000.”

Other individuals in the case that took pleas were Brandon Zar, Joshua Sutton, Taylor Willis, Katie Cahill and Austin Hammond. They received five years active probation and fines. Zar must also receive his GED.

Others arrested were Courtney Simon, Michael Keller and Pamela De St. Germaine. Their cases are still pending, Dinvaut said.

Sheriff Mike Tregre said he was pleased with the pleas.

“Very good police work was done, which led to guilty pleas in criminal court,” he said. “Long hours were put in and hard work was done. We still have much more to do.”

Tregre said authorities are still investigating where the drugs Helm was distributing came from.